Pichilemu and life in the Colchagua Valley!

This week I started doing some more research to help Finna Estampa get its name out as a hotel, as well as a venue for painting and drawing lessons.  The owner’s son, Cristian, and I have been working to find travel tour operators to reach out to, and we’ve also been working on a website and establishing a painting holiday as a unique way to enjoy Chile and the Colchagua Valley. I’m learning a lot about marketing a small hotel like this, and how to appeal to the target demographics and meeting all the possible needs of guests. Of course, it’s not too difficult to make a place like this appealing! I mean, just look at where I live…

Diana, the family dog and my personal motivator on morning runs

All over the back patio of the hotel, there’s furniture made from wooden barrels that were previously used to age wine at nearby vineyards, and this week Monica and her friend, Sandra, and I made a stop by the craftsman’s studio to pick up a few new pieces. There are so many amazing works of art there! He makes everything from clocks to flower pots to chairs to loveseats. It’s such an amazing skill to have. I wish I could buy furniture and bring it home with me, but I don’t think my suitcase is quite big enough. 

Then the 3 of us made a stop by La Famiglia, an Italian restaurant near the main plaza that’s owned by Monica and Rolf’s neighbors, for some Happy Hour Pisco Sours and a delicious proscuitto and arugula pizza (which was excellent timing because for some reason my facebook has decided to advertise Pizza Hut like crazy. This pizza was way better than Pizza Hut anyway!).  It was a really lovely day out in town!

This past weekend, Alex and his friends and I went to Pichilemu, a coastal town that’s about an hour from Santa Cruz. It was so beautiful! And it was nice to have a change of scenery as well. Nothing like seeing the beach to relax you! We rented a sweet little cabin and spent the weekend eating delicious seafood empanadas, drinking piscolas, shopping at the artisanal market, sitting on cliffs and watching surfers, and just hanging out. They are a really fun group, and we definitely made some great memories. Just yet another experience to reassure me that Chileans are some of the most welcoming and friendly people. I’m so glad to know them :)

There were so many surfers in this spot. At one point, we counted 48 just in the spot we could see!

The roadtrip down to Chiloe Island and my parents’ arrival are quickly approaching! As of now, all the hotels are booked and vineyard tours, fly fishing floats, and hiking trips have been arranged. Next step is researching all the must-eat dishes and restaurants, my favorite part! 

My time here is running out, and I'm definitely going to be enjoying as much sun and wine as I can before we head down South next week, where it's cooler and cloudier. But there's excellent sea food down there, so it's not such a bad trade :)

Besos xox

 

Settling into my new home!

I've spent the past week getting to know Santa Cruz and its people, and I love the small town life here. My hosts, Monica and Rolf, always run into friends whenever we go into town and Rolf likes to introduce me to them as his daughter, which is actually believable since Rolf is of German heritage. Rolf has a typical dad sense of humor and jokes around with me (like pretending to push me in the pool and calling me a monkey because I eat a banana every day). Monica offers me candies and takes me to run errands and to the hair salon with her. They are really great people, and they make me feel very at home here. I love having sweet Chilean parents.

The work at the hotel is very laid back. It’s a very welcoming, intimate environment, so when guests come to stay, they are treated just like that; guests. Breakfast is served at a reasonable time, conversations are casual and sincere, and the whole experience is relaxed. I love getting to know guests as they pass through. Monica and Rolf always tell me stories of guests that have turned into friends, who send them gifts or bring them gifts from their home countries when they come back to Chile to stay at Finna Estampa again. What a fulfilling and cheerful business! I’m very happy to see this sector of the hospitality industry.

Monica and Rolf’s son, Alex, comes to stay here on the weekends and he’s been hanging out with me, showing me around Santa Cruz, taking me to meet his friends, and teaching me bartending tricks (he’s in bartender school here, which is actually very demanding. It involves learning history, theory, mixology, and bartending tricks like throwing bottles and martini shakers in cool ways. There are written and physical exams, and according to him, it’s very strict. PS I'm horrible at the bottle tossing, so you don't have to worry about me staying in Chile and bartending for rent). It’s really nice to spend time with someone closer to my age. Two nights ago, we ate junk food and watched The Conjuring and then Final Destination. It was such a wonderfully normal evening. He understands that being at the hotel all day can be a little boring, so he takes me into town with him and to parties with his friends. Everyone is always really friendly and welcoming to me, and I love getting to know them and what they do for fun in this sleepy town (Answer: barbeques and Pisco, which is a common liquor here, made from fermented grapes). Actually next weekend, we’re going to the nearby beach town of Pichelemu, so that should be fun!

This past week, I introduced Monica and Rolf and Alex to the PB&J. They were appalled that I would combine peanut butter (which isn’t a big thing here in the first place, just occasionally used for baked goods) and marmalade on a sandwich. When I explained that this was actually probably the most normal, common thing for kids to eat in the US, they thought I was actually crazy. Alex tried it, apprehensively, and thought it was weird but kind of liked it. Monica and Rolf wouldn’t even go near it. Then I told them that it’s a bit strange from an American standpoint that they eat so much cow tongue, and they once again thought I was crazy, as if questioning why anyone would ever pass up cow tongue. Oh Chile. Then I made 3 PB&J’s to go for Alex to bring to his friends with whom he drove back to Santiago. Can’t wait to hear their reactions to this wild and crazy American concoction!

I have a lot of time on my hands here, so I’ve been working on planning everything for the upcoming road trip when my parents come to Chile! It’s going to be an adventure, starting in Santa Cruz and wine country and making our way south to Chiloe Island over a little more than a week, stopping at all sorts of interesting places along the way. Things are starting to come together for it and I’m getting really excited for team Fuller to take on the Pan-American Highway in a station wagon (that’s actually what we’re driving). Stay posted on that!

The view from my guest room

My cozy little guest room

On top of a hill overlooking the town and the countryside

I was already at the hair salon with Monica, so why not?

I have to honor of spending each day with these cuddly cuties!

I’ve learned and seen a lot of Santa Cruz and the surrounding area this week, and gotten a lot more comfortable here. All the people I’ve met are genuine and caring, the weather is warm and sunny, and the ambiance is tranquil and inviting. I’m a bit sad that I’m already halfway through my time here. But I still have 2 weeks to enjoy :)

Also, here's the link to the hotel if you're interested in checking out where I've been working and living! http://www.hotelfinnaestampa.com

Besos 

xox

Hotel Finna Estampa in the Colchagua Valley

I’ve landed at my next work place, a beautiful bed and breakfast in the Colchagua Valley, one of the most prominent wine-making regions in Chile, with more than 30 vineyards in the area. I’m here to help them with guests, managing the property, and with some online marketing to help them get their name out there, like adding their hotel to sites like Expedia and Orbitz. Hotel Finna Estampa is owned by a sweet older couple, Monica and Rolf, who are gracious and welcoming hosts. I feel like I am at home here. The property is very tranquil, in the middle of a vineyard, and very cute and homey. I’ve only been here for a few days, but I think that I’m going to get used to the quiet lifestyle of the countryside. The closest town is about 10 km away, called Santa Cruz. The town consists of a main plaza and that’s about it. It’s very quaint. It’s strange to go from the city lifestyle of Viña del Mar where everything was accessible to me, to being on this secluded property where life is much slower and quieter. But I think it will be a nice change :) I'm excited to get to know the town and my host family. I'm glad to be here with them because I never truly got a host family experience since I've always lived in apartments on my own when I'm abroad. I've already learned a lot from Monica and Rolf and am really enjoying living their lifestyle. Here’s some pictures of where I’ll be spending the next month!

Diana, their super adorable family dog

The driveway to the hotel. Surrounded by vineyards and wide open blue skies.

The back porch overlooking the garden and pool

Where I've been working from. Not a bad office!

And then I get free time to relax by the pool as well

In other news, I’m going to be a puppy mama when I get back the States! Our good family friends had English Springer Spaniel puppies last month, and when I get back home, I’ll have a new puppy waiting for me. Check out baby Oscar! Special thanks to my parents for keeping him for me until I get home!!

Isn't he just the cutest? It almost makes me want to go home early just to see him in person!

This new place is really beautiful and tranquil and I'm eager to help out Monica and Rolf and learn anything I can about running a small hotel like this. They have a really special property and I'm so fortunate to be able to share in their lives and work here! Stay tuned to my countryside adventures over the next few weeks :)

Besos xox

Last Week in Chile, Salkantay Trek on the Way to Machu Picchu!

So the past few weeks have been really hectic!! It was Fiestas Patrias in Chile, which is like their celebration of Independence Day (but not their actual independence day, which isn't until February). But it's a holiday where everyone basically takes off the week from work and parties constantly. There are festivals set up at the fair grounds with rides, lots of traditional food, and plenty of dancing of the national dance, called La Cueca. And during the day, families have barbeques and spend the day relaxing, eating and drinking with their families and friends. It's an incredibly patriotic time and the whole city was covered in Red White and Blue and the Chilean flag. It was amazing to be in the middle of such a patriotic celebration! Unfortunately, I have zero of the millions of pictures that I took during that week because my phone was stolen at the Santiago airport on my way to Peru and I lost all the photos :( I'm really sad that that they were lost and you can't see all the magical patriotism and fun that I experienced, but here's some webpages about the event if you want to check it out for yourself!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiestas_Patrias_%28Chile%29

http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/southamerica/a/ChileDieciocho.htm

http://www.latinpost.com/articles/21708/20140918/fiestas-patrias-chilean-americans.htm


My last week in Viña was an absolute whirlwind because Fiestas Patrias festivities started on Tuesday, and went nonstop from Tuesday night until Sunday morning, and then I had to hurriedly pack everything up and leave Monday morning for my trip to Peru and Machu Picchu. We stayed Monday night in Santiago, I left most of my luggage there, and then we left bright and early for Cuzco on Tuesday morning. Luckily, I had my friend Allie with me to help me carry my insane amount of luggage (I may or may not have had to buy another bag to hold all the things I bought, mostly gifts!)

We had a few days in Cuzco to acclimate to the altitude, since Cuzco sits at about 4,000 meters or 11,000 feet above sea level. Unfortunately, after a week of lots of fiestas and little sleep, I had gotten sick and spent the first few days in the hostel in Cuzco with a fever and just being generally sick, just trying to sleep as much as possible so that I wouldn't be so miserable on the trek. We signed up for a 5 day hiking and camping trek on the Salkantay Trail, that would take us through mountains, plains and the high jungle on our way to Machu Picchu. Here's the link for the itinerary of our trip if you'd like to check it out! http://www.bioandeanexpeditions.com/en/salkantay-trek/trekking-tours/salkantay-trek/salkantay-trek/salkantay-trek/salkantay-trek-peru.perutrek
It was absolutely an incredible experience, despite being sick and weak for the first 2 days. Our group consisted of us and 6 other people from all over the world, and a wonderful guide. We learned so much about each other and our cultures, and I had the best time getting to know everyone. Our group (we called ourselves the Sexy Llamas, per our guide Ferdinand's suggestion) had a really unique dynamic and we all got along so well. I'm so grateful to have stumbled upon this tour guide company and this group of people, because that really made the trip for me. They were so supportive when I wasn't feeling well and was struggling with the ascension to the over 15,000 foot pass at Salkantay mountain, and were fun and friendly people. I'm glad to have made new friends on this journey. The whole experience was very new to me, since I'd only ever been camping for real once before. And hiking for several hours day after day was something that I'd never thought I'd do. It was a huge challenge for me, definitely the most physically challenging thing I've ever put myself through, but I am so glad that I did it. I learned so much about my capabilities and limits, my strengths and weaknesses, and most of all, my immense gratitude that this is my life and that I made this happen. I was out there, completely out of my comfort zone, struggling through parts, thriving in others, and came out on the other side feeling on top of the world. I've never felt anything like that! Here's some pictures from our wonderful journey. Unfortunately, there's a lot more to be seen but I don't have them because I didn't have a camera after my phone was stolen, so I had to rely on everyone else to take pictures. These are the ones that I've got though :)

Just hanging out in the Andes Mountains on our first day

Allie and I at Mount Humantay, and the glacier-fed lake that is at its base. We even got to see a few minor avalanches that dropped snow and ice into the lake. We're at about 4,200 meters above sea level here.

Lake Humantay

Mount Humantay

The insanely green rolling mountains that we saw along the way. The landscape was drastically changing each day. Once day it would look like Ireland with flat green plains, the next we would climb rocky mountains in the snow, and the next it would look like this, and it would be sunny and warm.

I love the shape of the mountains here!

Me, our amazing guide Ferdinand, and Gui in the back

The hot springs that we went to on the 3rd day. It felt amazing to soak in some warm water after a rough few prior days!

Not a bad view from the springs! We were surrounded by mountain and cliff landscapes as we relaxed in the water.

The final stretch walking to Machu Picchu!

We followed the train tracks to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu where we stayed the night in an actual bed in a hotel, which was a huge change from our tents that we stayed in the past few nights. I felt spoiled and actually missed the tents a little!

We made it!! What an magical place.

One of the rocks that the Incas carved to mimic the shape of the mountains behind it

Llama friend (that couldn't care less about me)

Llama selfies are an important part of Incan culture

On the train on the way back from Machu Picchu. Such a beautiful train ride along the Uruyamba River

Scary man that has something to do with a traditional festival in Peru. I wasn't paying attention to the history because I was too distracted by how terrifying he was. He even made me dance with him. Nightmares for weeks.

Our last dinner in Cuzco. Alpaca meat stuffed with cheese and covered in a fruit sauce. Alpaca is actually really delicious! 

This past week was just so amazing. I was given a unique perspective on Peru, the Andes, trekking, and Machu Picchu that I never thought I would be able to have. It was complicated, it was challenging, and it was tiring, but it was one of the most rewarding things I've ever accomplished and I did it with a truly great group of people. What more could a girl ask for??

Now I'm on to my next job, working at a hotel in the Colchagua Valley, a major wine-making region of Chile. Here's a link to the hotel that I'll be working at! And I bought a cheap little digital camera so I'll be able to post pictures from here on out. I'm sad to not be returning to Viña (It was so hard to say goodbye to Allie as I sent her off on the bus back to Viña!) but I'm excited for this next leg of my Chilean adventure. It'll be nice to be in Santa Cruz, a quiet and tranquil little wine country town. Stay tuned.

Besos xox